Senju Haruto naturally didn't bother giving someone like Kaecilius much attention. After a casual remark or two, he led Kaguya into the library of Kamar-Taj.
The moment they entered, a wave of mystical energy pressed against them, followed by the faint fragrance of aged parchment and ink.
Haruto glanced around. He had seen the library of Kamar-Taj countless times on screen, but the feeling of actually being here in person… even the most advanced 3456D technology couldn't compare.
"You must be Haruto, right?"
Before Haruto could begin his system's check-in, a deep voice came from the northeast corner.
Haruto and Kaguya turned toward it and saw the speaker—one of the few at Kamar-Taj known by name.
Wong.
His frame was a little stocky, his hair already thinning. In the Marvel films, he hadn't gotten much screentime, but every appearance had left a lasting impact.
In truth, Wong was as authentic as one could get—a man of Chinese heritage, born into a lineage tasked with protecting sorcerers of justice. After the Ancient One's death, he had taken on the role of assisting Stephen Strange.
Beyond guarding the Sanctum alongside Strange, Wong also kept a sharp eye on him, strictly enforcing rules where needed. For example—
He forbade Strange from relying on the Time Stone's power.
Of course… more often than not, Wong's warnings had little effect.
Haruto gave him a slight smile, a silent gesture of greeting.
"The Ancient One gave clear instructions," Wong said solemnly. "She said you may freely peruse the books here—except for those over there." He gestured toward a restricted section.
"I don't know how much you truly understand about Kamar-Taj, but I'll remind you anyway. Not everything that looks like a book here is a book. Some are disguises—creatures that conceal themselves, waiting for a chance to whisper temptations into your mind. If you're careless, the consequences could be catastrophic—not just for you, but for this entire world."
Wong's tone was firm and commanding.
There was no way the Ancient One would have told Wong that Senju Haruto was himself a Sorcerer Supreme. From Wong's perspective, Haruto and Kaguya were merely gifted apprentices whom the Ancient One had chosen to shelter and train, teaching them magic and guiding them in harnessing their inner power.
Wong wasn't warning them out of malice or as some petty show of authority. As the librarian of Kamar-Taj, he knew firsthand the dangers lurking among the shelves. Some dark forces had long since disguised themselves as books, waiting patiently for the moment they could corrupt an unwary mind.
For someone like Haruto—immense potential but unrefined discipline—the whispers of ancient demons could be especially hard to resist.
So Wong had to speak up. It was for their safety, and to prevent any calamity that might spread beyond these walls.
In truth… seeing Haruto and Kaguya, both with East Asian features, stirred a sense of familiarity and kinship in Wong. He was strict, yes—but he was strict because he cared. A sharp tongue, but a soft heart.
"I understand," Haruto said with a small nod. He would heed Wong's advice and steer clear of the hidden corners.
"Good. If you need anything, just call out loudly. I'll hear you," Wong said. Pleased by Haruto's sensible response, he turned away to resume his duties.
Once Wong's figure disappeared, Haruto turned to Kaguya.
"You can take a look at the books too."
"I have no interest in such things," Kaguya replied without hesitation, shaking her head.
Seeing her disinterest, Haruto didn't press. He began to wander through the library himself.
To be fair, Haruto was intrigued by the collection here.
After all, every volume stored in this place by the Ancient One dealt with knowledge and magic. Even though his current power already surpassed that of the Sage of Six Paths, and his spiritual strength even exceeded the Ancient One's, some of this knowledge still piqued his curiosity.
That said, what he wanted more than reading was to complete his system's check-in.
So, for now, he only glanced at book covers as he moved along the shelves, not bothering to pull anything down. His real goal was to locate the check-in trigger point.
It didn't take long. Within moments, Haruto found it.
A familiar voice echoed in his mind:
Congratulations, Host. You've reached the check-in location!
Initiating check-in. Please do not exit midway.
1%… 22%…
As the progress bar began to move, Haruto casually reached for a book, pretending to be interested in reading.
But the instant his hand touched the cover, Baron Mordo appeared silently behind him.
With Mordo's voice, several apprentices nearby turned their gazes toward them.
"Your spiritual strength is impressive," Mordo said with a calm smile. "But reading these texts isn't so simple. I suggest you begin with the basics first."
He gestured toward another shelf in the distance, as though emphasizing that was where Haruto belonged.
While Haruto and Mordo locked eyes, the system's progress bar silently reached its end.
Check-in complete!
Reward acquired: Mastery of Ice and Fire, along with Ultimate Magical Comprehension!
"Ice and Fire Mastery?" Haruto blinked, momentarily stunned. His thoughts raced. Wait—wasn't that something from World of Warcraft?
And this so-called "Ultimate Magical Comprehension"… what was that supposed to be?
"Hm?"
Even as the doubt formed in his mind, the book in his hand began to shift.
Haruto was a transmigrator, yes, but his grasp of English wasn't exactly perfect. And these texts… they were ancient, centuries if not millennia old, vastly different from modern English.
Even trained apprentices often struggled, finding them obscure and cryptic. They required years of guided study to understand. That was why Mordo had advised Haruto to start with the basics.
From Mordo's perspective, these books were so complex that even he had to gnaw through them word by word. To Haruto, the symbols on the cover might as well have been gibberish.
But now—after the system's check-in—Haruto looked again at the words, and they seemed as clear as day.
With just a glance, he grasped their meaning in full.
Driven by equal parts curiosity and suspicion, Haruto ignored Mordo's advice and opened the book.
Instantly, streams of information surged into his mind. The knowledge settled seamlessly, as if he had always known it.
Not only that—
Even as he skimmed the pages at lightning speed, every detail imprinted itself deeply in his memory.
"Could it be… this Ultimate Magical Comprehension is literally instant memorization and mastery?" Haruto mused inwardly. "Just like back in the Naruto world—when I could copy any jutsu after seeing a single hand seal sequence."
Within just a couple minutes, he finished the entire book.
Under Mordo's astonished gaze, Haruto calmly returned the tome to its place and picked up the next one.